When we disembarked from the ship we boarded a FREE tour bus to take us into Sitka which was about 5 miles from the cruise port. The tour bus driver was friendly and gave us lots of great travel tips for our time in Sitka.
The tour bus took us to town hall, which is the only place in town with free WiFi. Seeing the town of Sitka is easily walk able from town hall. The tour bus picked us up at the end of the day as well. If cruise ship passengers did not wish to stay in town all day, the tour bus had a schedule throughout the day.
As we headed out to walk to the Sitka National Historic Park we heard loud noises coming from the tree above us. What did we see? Two bald eagles!
Little did we know, bald eagles are prevalent in Sitka. We saw many more during our visit.
The walk to Sitka National Historic Park was gorgeous! It took us about 10 minutes to walk there from town hall.
We arrived at Sitka National Historic Park as it was opening. We had the place to ourselves for most of our visit because the other cruise ship passengers had not yet made it there. We visited the interpretive center within the museum and was able to speak to locals about the community culture. My son made an etched bracelet as a souvenir. We watched a film about Sitka and then headed outside for the Totem Trail. The Totem Trail is gorgeous! This is a very easily walked trail.
After our visit at Sitka National Historic Park it was lunch time. We stopped in at Ludvig's Chowder Cart located in the historic Mill Building adjacent to the Sitka Sound Science Center and fish hatchery. The chowder was spicy but really good! We highly recommend it.
With our stomachs full we headed out to see the rest of what Sitka had to offer.
The Russian Bishop's House is part of the Sitka National Historic Park but it is located in town. Admission is FREE and at the time of our visit, guided tours were available. If you want to take a guided tour you get a ticket for the next tour. A limited number of tickets are handed out for each tour. We were able to learn a great deal about Sitka heritage and the Russian influence on this seaside town.
Next we headed through town to Baranof Castle. The streets of town were filled with churches and mom and pop businesses.
I'll have to admit, I was looking forward to seeing a Russian castle! To my surprise, Baranof Castle is NOT a castle. However, it is well worth visiting because of the beautiful views and the historical significance. In 1867, on top of Castle Hill, Alaska was officially transferred from Russia to the United States.
After visiting a few shops for some souvenirs we headed back to town hall and boarded the bus to the cruise ship. To this day, Sitka, Alaska is one of my favorite places in the world! Don't miss a chance to visit this charming town that makes everyone feel like they are home.
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Wherever your travels take you, may God bless you!
